Late
by Angibugg
Summary: Colonel Roy Mustang is late for work, well later than usual, and Lieutenant Hawkeye  goes out to find him . She is shocked when she finds him half dead on the side of the road. Manga spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys, hope you like it. Like everything I write its angsty. I hope you like it.

**LATE **

**Chapter 1 **

It had been one week since the accident in the basement that had nearly taken the lives of Colonel Roy Mustang and Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc who had since been honorably discharged from the military.

It was one day she couldn't forget, it was the day the worst had almost happened, it had been the day she had given up on life. It had only been for a brief time but it could have ended in hers and Alphonse's lives as well.

She hated thinking of what would have happened if the colonel hadn't showed up when he did, or if he really had died.

Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye noticed that the colonel was late for work, again. But this time was different, he should have been here an hour ago, including the usual 10 minutes late that he usually was on Mondays. He had even been known to be nearly half an hour late on some days when he had a 'busy' weekend, but an hour?

She knew something was wrong. The fact that he technically should still be in the hospital didn't ease the feeling any.She sighed heavily and pulled on her coat because it had started to rain, leaving trails of water falling down the windows like small rivers. She walked out of the building and into the rain to the car.

She drove down the street, headed to the colonels house when she saw a large black mass on the side of the road. At first she dismissed it as part of the usual trash that littered the side of the road until she got closer and realized that it was a person. She pulled over to the curb next to it and got out, it only took a moment to recognize the person.

"Colonel! Colonel! Can you hear me?!" she asked shaking him, his red and white glove gave him away.

He didn't answer. She could feel his soaking body shaking under her fingers, at least he was alive. She tried picking him up but all she got was a pain filled moan and the sight of his once white shirt that was now black with blood.

She had told him to be careful because his wounds would reopen because he hadn't let them heal yet. She knew she shouldn't have let him sneak out of the hospital, she knew she shouldn't have gotten his clothes and helped him out, but even though she had known full well better, she hadn't stopped him and now he was in the back of her car shaking and bleeding, and hed been for god knew how long.

She quickly looked up and down the street, there was no one, not a car or even a stray animal. She opened the car door and tried to lift him again and she managed to lay him down in the back seat .


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

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She had never been one to sit without anything to do, and waiting for news was no exception. Sitting wasn't going to doing anything for him so Riza was walking around finding her way to the familiar hospital room that she had sat in not to long ago waiting for the colonel to recover. She knocked on the door but got no answer, but she pushed it open anyway.

She wasn't surprised to see the blond man laying in the bed with a cigarette that would have been long put out between his lips and a glum look on his face.

"Good morning Second Lieutenant."

The man looked up a little surprised, he seemed as if he had not heard the knock or had chosen to ignore it.

"Im not in the military, Im not a second lieutenant anymore." He said and sighed. "Little early for visitors aint it?" he asked finally putting out the small stub that was left of the one cigarette he got a day out in the ashtray.

She didn't like seeing the usually so cheerful man so down, of corse learning that you could never walk again would be a big blow to anyone.

"That may be so Jean but that doesn't mean the connections you have don't mean anything." She said taking a seat next to him.

"I know neither of us are alchemists so what im going to ask you is a little bit out of our forte."She said her voice its usual calm. "But what do you know about the Homunculi?"

"I know just as much as you do. I only heard about them when Ed talked about them and when we were going to the basement. Mustang got you up to this?" he asked

"No, I found the colonel on the side of the road bleeding to death this morning."

Havocs jaw dropped. There were so many alarms buzzing in his mind. He had known Riza for a while, her loyalty was known throughout the military, so why was she here in his room and not the colonels? The way he saw it, it meant either that he was fine or that he had died. But the later certainly couldn't be true, he had heard how angry Mustang had gotten with her when she had given up when she was told he was dead, she looked relatively unchanged

"What happened?" he asked bracing himself for the worst.

"I-I don't know." She told him truthfully a sad look crossing over her pretty face.

"Is he okay?"

"I don't know. I brought him here but no one has said anything since."

Well at least that meant that he hadn't died. She would know if he had died wouldn't she? She was trying hard to keep telling herself this.

"Damn." Havoc said trying to force himself into a sitting position but he couldn't yet manage it. He felt useless laying down, of corse there wasn't much he could have done anyway.

"I think the Homunculi had something to do with it." Riza said

"I wouldn't doubt it." He said wishing he hadn't already finished his cigarette.

He really wouldn't be surprised if they had something to do with it, he knew how tricky they were. Best damn liars he had seen. He had once found the powers of Alchemy awesome, being to form things out of what seemed like nothing but it was nothing compared to what the Homunculi had, they could eat anything, change shape and pierce anything, let alone seduce you.


	3. Chapter 3

Hope you guys like it. Im having a little trouble with my word perfect right now so please try to ignore the mistakes.

**Chapter 3**

She hadn't really expected much. She knew neither of them would know much more than she already knew but she was still disappointed. Was that really all he knew about them or was he just not telling her something? Had he not learned anything in the basement? Or if he did had he forgotten, it was plausible that after such a large physical trauma he wouldn't remember.

She gave a small sigh, she was just going to have to wait until the colonel woke up, but in the back of her mind she wondered if he would wake up. She couldn't get the image of his shaking body soaked with the rain and his blood.

She came out of her daze when a hand was placed on her shoulder, She turned her head quickly as saw a brown haired nurse whom she thought she had seen before standing directly behind her.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye?" she asked

"Yes?" She replied wondering if she was one of the many nurses she had seen when she had stayed in here with the Colonel and Havoc. She was sure she was going to ask her to leave.

"Colonel Mustang has been calling for you."

This made the first lieutenant stand up and Havoc looked over, for once acknowledging the nurses' presence, she was here several times a day and he usually did his best to ignore her, but he could tolerate her there if it meant any kind of news on the colonel. At least he knew he hadn't died, that would have been too much for him to handle. Roy was one of the people who didn't look at him with pity, he still treated him like always, like a good friend.

"Would you follow me please?" the nurse asked before turning to Havoc. "I will be back in a half an hour Jean." She told him before walking out of the room. 

Hawkeye gave one last glance over her shoulder at Havoc who gave her the best 'He'll be fine' look he could muster right then as she followed right behind her, hoping what he had nonverbally told her, what they both hoped would be true.

She followed her up the hall and down the stairs in silence, the only noise in the hall was the clacking of their shoes. She followed with out saying a word. until the question that was gnawing at her left her lips.

"Do you know what happened to him?" Riza asked.

"Im not sure." The nurse admitted. "But one of his hands is broken, and there is a large piece of skin missing from his side and he has pneumonia from being out in the rain." She told her as they came to a stop at a door.

Riza had dared to hope that the colonel was sitting propped up on the bed like he had been not so long ago. Even now that she knew how badly he had been hurt she still tricked herself into hoping that he was fine. She wanted to think that her worry had been unnecessary. But a sitting and OK Roy Mustang was not what she saw.

Roy Mustang lay on the bed, his eyes closed and his right hand was bandaged. His jet black hair was matted with sweat to his face, his breathing sounded a little pained his face flushed. He shifted a little uncomfortably in his sleep. His white ignition gloves were in blood soaked pieces on the bedside table next to the bed.

"Lieutenant . . . Hawkeye . . . " The colonel was muttering in his sleep, now she knew what they had meant he had been calling for her. She could make out her name the most regularly out of the jumble of words he mumbled.

Hawkeye stepped closer to him, her hand touched his hair moving it from his fevered brow. She hated seeing him like this. Even more than that she hated it even more knowing she had done nothing to prevent it from happening. She was supposed to be there to protect him. She had promised him, told him time and time again that she had his back and once again she had failed.  



	4. Chapter 4

Hope you guys like it. Im having a little trouble with my word perfect right now so please try to ignore the mistakes. This is mostly a flashback chapter, you find out what happened to Mustang and lovely fluffy goodness at the end.

**Chapter 4**

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It had been a normal morning, he hadn't been sleeping for a while but he wasn't really awake. The alarm clock did its annoying bell, he wondered why he hadn't turned it into ash yet, but he would let it live another day. His hand hit it and it stopped, he stared at the ceiling for a few minutes more. He knew he would be a few minuets late to work, it wasn't new, and he knew that none of his subordinates really cared all that much, well Havoc might have if he was still there, wondering if it was one of the girls he had been after that had made him late, but nothing was ever done about it.

With a yawn he pulled on his uniform grabbed something to eat and walked out of his house to the car parked on the street. He didn't notice that it was running on empty until it came to a shuttering halt three blocks later. With a frustrated kick that left a small dent in the door Roy left, grumbling about the six block walk in the rain. Hawkeye was most certainly going to give him a lecture about it when he got to work.

He had walked about a block and a half when it really started to rain. With a heavy sigh he glared at the empty street then finally up at the sky and he noticed something standing on the wall. A short but rather fat humanoid, it didn't look truly human was leering down at him, large tongue lolling out of his mouth, a black tattoo on it.

It was a Homunculi.

His whole body tensed making him hold back a wince, damn side. Maybe Hawkeye was right(she usually was) when she had told him to stay in the hospital until the doctors told him he could go. He slid his hand into his pocket and put his glove on. He snapped his fingers and nothing happened.

Once again the lieutenant was right. He was really useless in the rain. He stared in disbelief at his fingers, it was pouring rain, but he needed the flames now. He gave another feeble snap, wishing he carried a gun or something with him at all times think Hawkeye did.

"You killed Lust." The thing said to him, His voice was so comical if it hadn't been here, and if his life hadn't been in danger Roy would have laughed.

The thing had a great amount of speed for such a monstrous size. It had jumped down launching its self at Roy. He managed to dodge it but its teeth had managed to get a hold of his glove ripping it. He fell to his knees, searing pain stabbed at his side knocking the air out of him, His hand clutched his side, he could feel the warm blood staining yet another shirt.

Damn, he knew that there was no way in hell he was going to get out of this one.

He got back up but he wasn't able to dodge the next blow. It sent him into the light post his head was swimming as he saw the great form lean over him. He couldn't help but cry out as it actually bit him, he could feel its teeth going through his skin muscle and bone. White dots danced in front of his eyes for a few brief seconds before everything went black.

Roy Mustang staled in this mostly unconscious state for five days. The events that had lead up this kept swimming around in his head. It was a surprise to him when he woke up to the dull lite in a sterile white room. He was in pain but he had woken up and that was more than he had thought would happen.

"Sir?" The concerned face of Riza Hawkeye came into focus above him. "What happened?" she asked him,

He gave her a faint smile before wincing when he tried to sit up. "There are more of them Hawkeye."

She looked at him a little worried when he winced and then confused when he answered her. "What?"

"The Homunculi, I don't know how many more of them, but there are more . . . How did I get here?"

"I found you sir." She said. "You were late for work."

He gave a little smile and tried to sit up again but her hand pushed him back down. It wasn't hard, he was weak, and a sudden coughing fit made the pain only worsen.

"How long was I out?" he asked, he could se the sun outside, a day maybe?

"About five days sir."

He looked at her in shock. Five days . . . He hadn't been expecting that. "Was anything there when you found me?" he asked her

"No sir."

"You don't need to be so formal."

"Yes sir." she said


	5. Chapter 5

Its a little short I know but It will pick up I promise. Basicaly just fluff in this chapter but a bit of a clifhanger.

**Chapter 5**

"How are you feeling?" She asked trying to get him to say something, the silence was to tense for even the famous Riza Hawkeye to stand. She had tried to get him to eat but he hadn't touched pear on the table next to him.

He didn't answer, but then again he didn't really need to. The dark circles under his dark eyes were a striking contrast to his pale skin which was now close to the ghostly white color of the hospital walls.

"You said that their were more of them, the homunculi, are they different from the ones we've seen?" She asked.

She was interested in them, she wanted to know why they were after them but her ambitions had always been more subtle than the colonels. She was worried as well, the obviously had ill intent and it had nearly cost them their lives more than once. Then there was the opinion that the Führer himself was one of them. What would that men for them?

"I thought I killed it. When the fat one was about to eat you and Furry. It should have died."

She remembered that, how she had tried so hard to kill it but had been unsuccessful. She had become defenseless when she had ran out of bullets. The Colonel had saved them, he had burst in unannounced and blew it away with one snap of his fingers. If the heat hadn't killed it the fall would have, at least it should have.

"Do you think they are immortal?" She asked him.

"You can kill anything if you do it right." He told her. "Like the other one, maybe I just didn't do it right, or kill it enough times to make it stay dead."

" I talked to Havoc the other day." she told him. "He was worried about you."

She noticed that he perked up at the mention of his friends name. A small part of her mind was a little jealous that her sitting with him hadn't provoked so much from him but of corse she didn't let any of this show, she never had. But she wished she could see some sort of reaction to her when she was around, like one of the looks he gave one of his girlfriends, but she never got one. But she was glad none the less to see a change for the better.

"How's he doing?" he asked.

"He's still pretty down, but I guess that's what would be expected." She was quiet

He couldn't help wondering if he had come out of the "I am useless so leave me alone" stage he had been in the last time he had seen him. Their agreement still was vivid in his mind. Havoc had yelled at him, begging him to for get him, but Roy Mustang couldn't forget people, especially the ones he felt responsible for. This flaw as he saw it made him stay up many nights not wanting to sleep out of the memories of the faces of who's lives had been destroyed by him.

He had meant to visit the former Second Lieutenant again. He knew he should have found just a moment to drop by to make it certain that the blond had not been forgotten. But with all that had gone on he hadn't found the time and he wasn't sure he was good standing with him since their argument.

They both looked up and over to the door when it creaked open. A nurse stood there but it was ususal for one to come in with out warning, and according to their regular schedule she should have been here for another four minuets. It was obvious neither of them felt comfortable. The both knew something was not right.  



	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Colonel Mustang you have a visitor-" The nurse said and before she could say another word a tall man with black hair and an eyepatch walked in.

"Thank you for showing me where the room is." The Führer said excusing the nurse who bowed her head and left, closing the door behind her.

The two original occupants were staring at him in disbelief before they both saluted him.

"What brings you here sir?" Riza said as Roy winced from the sudden sharp movement and the pain tugging at his side.

"I've come to talk with the Colonel, Lieutenant. As you know he is a hard man to keep up with, he might be even to track down at times." He said. His face was good natured, a smile was on his lips but there was something that was darker about his presence.

"Im sorry if I make it difficult for you sir." He said forcing himself up into a sitting position "What was it that you wanted to talk to me about."

"The word is that you have been acting a little mutinous, Colonel. I don't want to believe these statements, after all I know you are a hard-working State Alchemist who although doesn't always go by the book, gets his work done efficiently. I've never heard a complaint like this about you. Tell me, is there any truth to the rumors that have been coming up lately?"

"Well sir, I can honestly say that I don't know what you are talking about. All I can tell you is Im not one who would ever do anything against this country."

He had always had the gift of being a good liar. It was one reason he had been able to rise up the ranks so quickly. Ok so it wasn't really a lie, he would do anything for the country. He would however do many things against the man standing in front of him, man wasn't even the right term for what he was. before the Führer broke the silence.

"That is good to know Mustang, good to know. Get well soon. I will visit you later. Now I will be on my way." He said as both men stared at each other for a few seconds. The look in their eyes was that of someone who knew a dirty little secret of the other. In both cases it was true. and just as quickly as he had come he lad left leaving the two who were remaining staring at where he had been seconds before.

"Get my jacket Lieutenant." Roy said when he was sure that the Führer was out of earshot.

"I don't think that's wise sir." She told him. "You're not in the right state to go anywhere."

"There are things I need to do." He told her in a slightly darker voice.

"I am sure whatever it is can wait until you can sit up without your knuckles going white sir." She said her voice was a little tight as she looked down at fingers as they gripped the side of the bed.

"I am fine." He said trying to reassure her as he let go of the bed. He hated how she could always see the things that he didn't want to be seen. She had always been like that. She had always been able to see his weaknesses when it seemed no one else could, and it drove him crazy.

"You have told me that before Colonel, and as I recall, you weren't fine."

"Im going to get out of here now with or without you Lieutenant. It would make it much easier if you went along."

She sighed. She knew it was true, it was impossible to keep the man still when there were things he thought he needed to have done. It was never paperwork that made him want to hurry, but the things that seemed to be connected in his plan to get to the top. no matter what shape he was in. She watched as he put his shoes on and curse as he noticed his torn gloves. She got up and got his pants and jacket, his shirt had been ruined so the hospital one would have to do until she was able to get him some other clothes. She knew she should say no to this, it was stupid to let him walk out of here when he looked as if he was going to pass out because he had stood up.

"Lets get out of here Lieutenant."


	7. Chapter 7

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**Chapter 7**

The Colonel slumped down in the passenger seat of the car, clutching his side and staring out the windshield. He was staring intently at nothing as his mind was quickly coming up with a plan. He didn't notice the door shut as Hawkeye got into the drivers seat next to him. She looked at him before starting the car.

"You look ill sir. Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked, giving him one last chance to turn back.

" I have things I need to take care of."

"Yes sir." She said. She understood. She always did. He could see a quick way to the top. He had been a little distracted lately. There had been so many other things going on lately but seeing the Führer had reignited the fuse, drawing him back to his original plan, the one he had been working on for so long.

There was no conversation as they drove down the street. Roy stared out the window in a daze. He didn't realize that they had long drove past the street to his house.

"Where are you going?" He asked

"My house." Came her reply. "They at least know the route that you use to get to work, they can easily figure out where you live if they haven't already."

"Good thinking Lieutenant."

"Thank you sir." She said with a small smile at the compliment. "I'll stop by your house later to get you some clothes." She said glancing at the hospital shirt that was visible from under his jacket.

"That would be nice." He said slumping back to his previous position leaning against the window.

"I'm sorry it's messy." Riza said as she parked in front of her small house. "I haven't unpacked all the way from when we moved."

"It's fine. I haven't gotten around to unpacking everything either." He looked at the small house. He hadn't seen her house since she had started working with him. He hadn't really realized this until now as he walked to the front door with a watchful eye of the Lieutenant on him, he knew that she was worried about him.

"The bedroom is there. You can sleep there." She said pointing at the first door once they got inside. Black Hayate ran over to them with a happy bark as he ran around their feet. There were a few piles of boxes in the other wise clean house, he thought it funny she called this messy, she clearly hadn't seen any of the others' places.

"I'll just take the couch." He said. Looking at the size of the house, he was quite sure that there wasn't another bedroom and he wasn't going to take her bed, he didn't sleep much other than a few cat naps during the day so there really wasn't a need for her to give it up.

"You should lay down" She told him. It really wasn't a request. He looked sick and because she knew that she wasn't going to get him to go back to the hospital she might as well make him rest for as long as she could.

He sat down on the couch, not arguing with her. She took this as he felt about as well as he was looking right now. Black Hayate sat at his feet looking up at him hoping for a scratch behind his ears. Roy petted him, he had always liked the dog.

"If I made you something to eat would you actually eat it sir?"she asked him as she walked into the kitchen.

He smiled as his stomach rumbled, she really did know him to well, although the fact that he hadn't really eaten anything in a week might have a lot to do with it


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

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"Hey! Colonel Bastard, open up!" Edward called as he knocked on the door with a metallic bang as his automail hand hit the wood. Al was standing next to him looked down at him.

"That isn't very nice brother." He said disapprovingly. "You shouldn't talk to him like that, He's the Colonel and now he's sick, you shouldn't bother him."

"You're the one who wanted to come here to give him the dumb report." Ed reminded him with a frown. He did not want to be here. He wasn't even sure why the hell he had let Al talk him into coming here in the first place. He would already know what they had been doing, he always did much to Ed's annoyance. He didn't see why he had to give him a damn report.

They had gone to HQ to give Mustang the usual report but he hadn't been there. Breda had told them that the Colonel had been out sick for about a week and was at his house. He had given them the address saying that he bet that Mustang would like to see him. Ed was convinced this was some kind of sick joke. Breda trying to get back at the Colonel for faking sick and that he was being used as a pawn for the joke.

"About ti-" Ed said as he was about to knock again when the door opened. He was cut off when he realized that it wasn't the Colonel standing there.

"Hello Edward, Alphonse."

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, What are you doing here? This is the Colonels house isn't it, or do we have the wrong address?" Al asked, just as surprised to see her as his brother to see the woman standing at the door.

"No, it's the right house but he isn't in. I just came by to get some clothes for the Colonel." she replied nodding to the load of clothes in her arms. "What are you two doing here."

"We came to give the Colonel our report, but we heard he was sick. Second Lieutenant Breda gave us the address." Al told her.

"He's got you in on it too?" Ed asked with a sigh

"What are you talking about Edward?" Riza asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"The Colonel, I know he's faking sick."

"If it was any other day, I might agree with you. But I've seen him. He hasn't been doing very well." She told them.

"So where is he?" Ed asked her.

"He's staying at my house, for security reasons." Riza replied as she shifted the clothes to one arm as she walked out to the front step, closing the door behind her.

The blond teens eyebrows winkled in thought. So the smart ass Colonel Bastard wasn't playing after all. It was clear that Lieutenant Hawkeye was worried, She was smiling at them but her usually calm manor was betrayed by her eyes. But he couldn't help but think that there was some kind of plan going on, Mustang was always scheming something.

"Could we come with you to see him?" This request from Edward made both Al and Riza stare.

"That's unusually warm of you Edward."

"I just want to see for my self how he is doing." He said with a mischievous smile.

Riza sighed. "Sure, you can come." she said walking back to the car. Having someone else come by might get the Colonel out of his thoughtful but depressed state.

"COLONEL! What happened?"Asked Al in surprise. They had walked in the front door and saw him tightening the bandages around his middle. The bandage on his hand and how sickly in general he looked.

"Just who I wanted to see!" He said as smiled as he looked up at the brothers. He got up and Hawkeye handed him a shirt which he quickly put on. "Thank you Lieutenant." He said.

"So what happened to you Colonel?" Ed asked.

"You know about the Homunculi. We've been having some problems with them lately."


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry it is so short guys, I just couldnt think of more things for this chapter.

**Chapter 9**

"That thing...it actually... bit you?" asked Edward sounding a little repulsed at the thought. His eyes went to the spot he knew bandages were wrapped tightly under Mustang's shirt. He wondered if there would be any morbid side effects later. He doubted it but if it did happen it would give him a reason to piss Mustang just as much as he pissed him off, equivalent exchange right?

He had thought that the story he had just listened to was almost funny. If it hadn't been for the Homunculi problem he would have burst out laughing, but he found it extremely hard to suppress a small fit of giggles. The almighty flame had been left in the rain and had gotten sick. No wonder the man didn't like the rain.

"Yes Ed." Roy said his finger and thumb pinching the bridge of his nose against the headache that was now pounding in his head. He wanted to lay down and fall asleep. He felt sick but he was trying so hard to keep it from showing. He couldn't show how weak he was right now.

If she hadn't known him better Riza would have asked if he was alright. She might have even have told him to lay down. But She knew him better than that. She knew he was feeling sick and that there was a reason he was trying so hard not to give in and lay down.

"And you want me to help you?" Ed asked again with a mischievous smile. He knew that Mustang was a little desperate because he was asking for help and not commanding him to do it. He also knew he would probably end up doing it wether or not he wanted to, but he was in a place he had thought he would never get to even though he had wanted to. Mustang was pleading with him, he had no smug smirk on his face, no arrogant tone no short jokes.

"That's only what I have been asking you for the last hour Fullmetal." Roy replied quickly losing his patience with the blond.

He knew that Edward was still only just a kid no matter what he could do or what the blond himself liked to think, but did he have to pick right now to be a smart ass? OK, ok so he had done the same thing to Ed many times just to see what kind of reaction he would get, but did he have to pay him back for it now when he actually needed his help?

Everyone's head turned when there was a loud thud from outside. Hawkeye quickly stood up and went outside, her hand on the gun in her holster at her side.

BANG! BANG! The sound of gunfire was loud in the quiet house. Roy got up and went out the door with amazing speed for someone in his state.

The door flew open and he saw Hawkeye crouching on the stairs with her gun she had just fired, blood stained her shirt, he wasn't sure if it was hers or not. He plunged his hand into his pockets and realized that his gloves weren't there. Dammit! He remembered the shredded pieces of cloth on the bedside table at the hospital.

"Go back in side Colonel." she told him in the strict tone she often used when telling him that he had just done something stupid.

"What the hell..." Edward started as he looked to where Hawkeye's guns were pointed. "Envy!"


	10. Chapter 11

Sorry it took so long, but I just couldn't write this chapter, and everything else I have been writing. Anyway here is the end. I might write an epilogue but it depends if I can get my creative muse back or not.

Chapter 11

It was amazing how fast tings could completely change. In the split second it took Riza Hawkeye to come running around the corner, a set up for a tragedy had formed. In the small alleyway two Roy Mustangs stood facing each other, both pointing a gun and gloved hand ready to snap for the deadly attack.

Looking for a sign betraying one of them to be Envy, Riza raised her gun drawn, her hand steady as always but her trigger finger was trembling. One simple wrong move would betray one as the imposter. She knew him well enough to guess his reactions but it didn't stop her from worrying she would guess wrong.

"Lieutenant!" two identical voices called.

Envy wasn't just playing stupid mind games with them anymore, now he was really trying to confuse her, not just stall her for a few seconds. They needed to get rid of Mustang, he had gotten in deeper than they had ever wanted him too. It was a little unfortunate really, he had been one of their top candidates as a human sacrifice, right under the Elric brothers, but dogs that bites had to be put down.

"DAMMIT COLONEL, SNAP!" She yelled to him, whatever one of the two he really was.

Her finger put a little more pressure on the trigger. One thing she had learned from her brief knowledge of these creatures was that for whatever reason they could not do alchemy. Whichever one could snap and actually produce a flame was clearly the colonel.

The uncharacteristic yell brought him out of his stare at and with a snap fire erupted from the small spark and ignited Envy. He couldn't help but find the irony in seeing himself go up in flames.

She fired a few rounds into the burning figure. Maybe they would actually kill it. She realized how naive her hope had been when she heard another gunshot to ring out. The fire stopped as Roy's body became rigid in pain before going slack. Once again back in his original form, Envy emerged from the flame.

The boys came dashing around the corner just in time to see the Colonel fall backwards sprawled across the ground, his head supported by the wall behind him. Riza was at his side in a second. She knelt down and bit her lip to keep in a gasp when she looked at the blood that quickly spilling from just his chest.

For a second everything was still, even Ed was silent, staring in a mixture of awe and horror as the man fell. He could see the crimson stain growing on his white shirt. Sure he had never particularly liked the colonel, he was a complete ass most of the time but he had done things for him and Al that he doubted he would have been able to do if he had been placed under the command of anyone else. Yes, he couldn't stand him on the best of days, but he would always be a little thankful for him even if he didn't agree with the way he tried to 'help'. A second later he was launching himself at Envy again, Al right behind him.

With her gun still in hand, Riza was trying to bring the colonel to his feet to get him out of there. She could lift him if it was necessary, but it would slow them down and she wasn't sure what would happen if they were here any longer than they had to be. She didn't want to leave the boys out here fighting that thing by themselves even if they were both capable of killing that thing if they got the chance, but her first responsibility was to her colonel.

"Can you hear me sir?" she asked her heart racing in fear that she would loose him. She had come so close to losing him forever so many times in the last few weeks she wouldn't lose him now. He was still breathing, it was labored but he was still breathing and it was one of the best noises she had heard in a while. Getting only a pained groan in response, she ran to the phone to call for help.

Roy began to cough violently, blood spilling from his mouth. His eyes opened a little, only revealing the whites of his eyes. Hanging up the phone, Riza knelt next to him and held him in a sitting position as the coughing fit shook his body. She pressed her hand tightly against the wound hoping the pressure would stem the flow but wondered if it would help anything.

He gave a gasp when she pressed down, his eyes squeezing shut. He wondered why she was even trying to save him. Even with the limited consciousness he had, he knew he was dying. After all that had happened, one bullet had ended it.

"Riza," the word was barley audible and it was a struggle for him to get it out but there was something he had wanted to say for a while, and now was his last chance.

She looked down at the man in her arms in surprise when she heard her name. She could count the times he had called her by her first name on one hand and this time it sent chills up her spine.

"Help is coming sir." She told him wondering how long it would take for they to arrive and how long he could last.

"I...I loved you." He managed to gasp before another coughing fit racked his body

Had he really just said what she had thought? Had he meant it? She held him tighter trying not to let the tears spill from her eyes.

"I love you to." She managed to say but her voice was cracking. She could feel his body go limp as his last breaths rattled in his chest. She heard sirens not to far off but it was to late, Roy Mustang was dead.


End file.
